Rollercoaster - Peter Parker

29. Annoying Brothers

Peter and Caden were bombarded with questions of all kinds. All the while they watched their friends with amused grins. Caden wrapped an arm around Peter, leaning against the wall next to him as questions were fired at them.

"You're Spider-Man?!"

"Is that why you've been in love with Spider-Man this entire time?"

"You buy your boyfriend's merch? Kiss-ass."

"Are you alright? Ugh, the bruises..."

"How did this even happen to you, Peter? I mean, I'm assuming this isn't just a really amazing costume."

"How would it feel to kiss through the mask?"

"Please introduce us to Tony Stark. I'd go straight for that man in a heartbeat."

"What happened at the school?"

"How long have you known about this, Caden?"

"Have you guys done any role play with the suit?"

"Who were those guys in the suits up there?"

With that question, Peter's smile faded, and he forced himself up from the ground, wincing in pain. "Do you guys know who screamed?" he asked the group frantically, pulling his mask over his face.

They all shook their heads, looking at one another with the same confused, slightly frightened expression. Peter took one look at their reactions and swung his way up to the top of the nearest building despite their screams of concern.

Once he was on the rooftop of the school, he saw an even larger crowd than before. Police officers spoke in hushed voices to paramedics, and ambulances were parked outside of the entrance of the school. Crying people were everywhere, people quickly wiping away tears with their hand as if they were the only one sobbing in a crowd of strangers.

The sight made Peter's heart sink. He spotted a familiar figure in the crowd, racing to Tony's side as the students parted for the superhero.

"What's happening?" Peter asked in a scared whisper. The dull pain in the back of his head was suddenly forgotten as he focused on the task at hand, trying to rack his brain to see if he could remember anyone particularly getting hurt.

Tony had to shake students off from his Iron Man suit, grasping Peter's shoulder and leading him into the school so they could have privacy. Tony opened up his suit so Peter could see his face as he spoke. As Peter lifted his mask and saw the set look on Tony's face, he regretted wanting to figure out the aftermath of the boys.

"It's Flash," Tony told Peter the news in an emotionless voice, nodding his head after Peter didn't react much. "Instead of hitting you with those burning hot lasers, Flash moved in front of that Ashton kid and was struck. That's the scream you heard. Ashton is pretty broken up about it, too, because Flash has a serious burn across his face."

"Oh my God," was all Peter could say. He swallowed harshly, shaking his head.

"Flash kept screaming at the paramedics that he couldn't do anything power-wise which freaked them out a bit, but it means that I guess this worked out in a way. Hopefully all of the memories he took from people will be returned, but no one can tell for sure until there's testing done."

Peter bit his lip, replaying hundreds of memories in his mind of Flash and his entourage harassing him and following him home.

"I'm not telling you this so you'll feel sorry for him, I'm just letting you know," Tony hastily added, placing a comforting hand on Peter's shoulder.

"No matter how horrible it is," Peter nodded at Tony, feeling the urge to cry for a reason that he couldn't pinpoint, "he deserved it."

Tony brought Peter into a hug, the boy silently letting out his tears. When they broke apart, Peter looked around before wiping his eyes, swiping each hand underneath his eyes, shaking his tears off.